COMMUNIQUE OF THE JOINT UNION CONGRESS (JUC) COMPRISING THE ACADEMIC STAFF UNION OF NIGERIA POLYTECHNICS (ASUP), THE SENIOR STAFF ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA POLYTECHNICS (SSANIP), THE NON-ACADEMIC STAFF UNION OF POLYTECHNICS (NASUP) ALL OF THE FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC, EKOWE, BAYELSA STATE HELD ON THE 11TH OF AUGUST 2014.

PREAMBLE

Nyesom Wike

The Joint Union Congress (JUC) of Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe Bayelsa State comprising ASUP, SSANIP and NASUP held an emergency meeting on the 11^th of August 2014 at the polytechnic’s liaison office in Yenagoa. The highlight of the meeting is the decision of all the unions to embark on an indefinite strike action with effect from September 1^st, 2014. However, the following observations and resolutions were made.

OBSERVATIONS

1. The Governing Council of the institution headed by Honorable Bekes Etifa have sat for four times within seven months of her establishment without discussing any issue relating to workers’ welfare despite the appalling fact that workers have been begging for their promotion and a host of other benefits for the past two years.
   
   
2. The Governing Council of the Polytechnic is without any cogent reason refusing to approve the two years long overdue staff promotion knowing that the staff will be due for another promotion by 2015.
   
   
3. The 28days allowance of workers is yet to be paid.
4. The annual incremental steps arrears of workers since the establishment of the institution in 2008 have not been paid.
   
   
5. The Bursar, Mr James Neminebor, has consistently displayed gross incompetence, negligence and financial insincerity in the salary preparation and payment of workers. There have been consistent delays, short-payments and unwarranted withholding of the salaries of staff in large numbers.
   
   
6. The management of the institution is in a state of disarray as principal officers shamelessly engage in internal wrangling among themselves.
   
   
7. The polytechnic is not making any effort to commence academic activities despite the fact that ASUP has suspended her strike for the past five months. For over five years now, the institution has only about forty (40) students.
   
   
8. There is no transparency and accountability in the assessment and utilization of TETfund since the establishment of the polytechnic.

RESOLUTIONS

1. The staff promotion before the Governing Council should be treated on or before the 31^st of August 2014.
2. The bursar should be sent on terminal leave and the salaries unit of the Polytechnic should be overhauled.
3. Knowing that salary preparations in government establishments are concluded on or before the 15^th of every month, the salary preparation of Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe should follow same.
4. Management should ensure that normal academic activities in the institution begin forthwith with the appropriate enabling environment for proper management and learning.
5. Transparency should be enforced in the assessment and utilization of the TETFund. An accessible, sincere, rational and pulsating desk officer should be put in charge.
6. The Polytechnic management should pay immediately the  annual step increment of workers that have accumulated for the past four (4) years, the 28days accommodation allowance of staff of the Polytechnic. Also the pension scheme of workers should be implemented immediately.

CONCLUSION

Given the unacceptable refusal of Management and the Governing Council of the institution to meet the legitimate demands of workers despite repeated appeals from the three unions that constitutes the Joint Union Congress (JUC) and having always displayed restraint and maturity over the years, the Management and the Governing Council are hereby put on notice that all unions will commence a series of industrial actions beginning with an indefinite strike action effective Monday September 1^st, 2014 until workers’ demands are fully met.

SIGNED:

1. Comrade Afolabi Taiwo, ASUP Chairman
2. Comrade Endurance Keyamo, SSANIP Chairman
3. Comrade Nelson Ebimie, NASUP Chairman